Detroit Pistons Playoff Hopes Rest On Their Big Men

It has been an up and down season for the Detroit Pistons. One minute you want to put a bag over your head against a wall when you attend games, the next moment you’re cheering your heart out. Despite it all, the Pistons are inching closer to a playoff spot for the first time since the 2008-2009 campaign.

At 20-31 and just 2.5 games back of the eighth seeded, Brooklyn Nets, the Detroit Pistons’ playoff chances look bright.

Detroit has 31 games left, 11 of which are against teams with a winning record. To give fans a little more optimism, ESPN’ Hollinger’s 2014-2015 playoff chances sit at 27.6 percent.  It’s not a sexy 27 percent but it is at the very least, attractive to Pistons fans.

Out of the teams fighting for the seventh and eighth seed (Charlotte, Miami, Boston, Brooklyn and Indiana), Detroit has a 4-4 record with four games left against Charlotte and less than two against the rest.

Even though the Pistons are 4-6 in their last ten games and are still trying to find a rhythm since starting guard, Brandon Jennings went down with a torn Achilles, there is no reason why they should miss the playoffs.

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Four wins in their last 10 games and just a .500 record against the bottom half of the east does not sound like a playoff team at all but, anything is possible in the Eastern Conference.

One thing is for certain, if Detroit wants to make the playoffs, they will have to rely heavily on their two big men.

Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe are probably one of the best one, two big man combo in the league. They complement each other well, what Drummond lacks on offense, Monroe makes up for and what Monroe lacks on defense, Drummond makes up for.

There were questions on whether or not these two could co-exist but since moving Josh Smith, those rumors have been put to bed. At times they did not look good together on the court and at times looked like they were in each other’s way.

But this season, none of that has been an issue. Several times this season, most recently in the team’s 98-88 win over the Denver Nuggets, we have seen big nights from both the big men. In the win against Denver, Monroe scored 21 points and pulled down 21 rebounds while Drummond scored 13 points and pulled down 13 rebounds.

Combined this season, the two are averaging 27.9 points, 23.5 rebounds 2.1 blocks per game and have Detroit as the fourth best rebounding team in the league.

Their combined numbers have always mirrored the ones above but, this season it is a lot smoother. Perhaps part of the reason is they have become more familiar with each other and now know what to expect from one another.

Their ability to crash the boards while doing a solid job of protecting the rim are the primary reason why the Pistons are even in the playoff discussion. It is true, Drummond still has a long way to go in terms of offensive development and his issues with fouling but what he is doing for now will suffice.

Obviously, relying only on these two will not get the job done, other players have to step up and for the most part have done so, namely D.J. Augustin, who is averaging 17 points and nine assist over his last five games.

The numbers Augustin has put have been spectacular but if you want to win in the NBA you must have consistent play from your big men.

So long as these two can stay healthy, there is no reason why the Pistons shouldn’t ride them into the playoffs.